Continuous clean oven conversion

ABSTRACT

A continuous clean oven embodying a conventional oven liner having as accessories superimposed removable back, bottom and side panels coated with material which provides continuous clean characteristics, and means for retaining the panels in place.

Umted States Patent 51 3,706,302

Helgeson et al. 1451 Dec. 19,1972

54! CONTINUOUS CLEAN OVEN 3,366.42; gull "11 267/319 R 46,4 omsten 2 9MCONVERSION 3.120.224 2/1964 Divelbiss ..126/39 M [72] Inventors: PeterL. Helgeson, Macungie; Tibor 3,153,408 1041964 Brillas ..l26/39 M LEgervary, Allentown, both of Pa. 3,159,156 12 1964 Incledon ..l26/39 M X3,425,405 2/1969 Dllls ..126/19 R [73] Assignee: Raytheon Company 1Primary Examiner-Charles J. Myhre [22] Filed 1971 Attorney-Harold A.Murphy [21] App1.No.: 114,442

[57] ABSTRACT v [52] U.S.CI ..l26/l9 R, 126/39 M A f f Int Cl F2 15/16oven lmer having as accessories superimposed removable back bottom and Sde panels coawd with [58] Field Of Search "126/19 R, 39 M material whichprovides continuous clean charac teristics, and means for retaining thepanels in place. 56 References Cited 1 11 Claims, 6 Drawing FiguresUNITED STATES PATENTS 3,410,260 Mnrgan PATENTEDnac b91972 SHEET 1 0F 2PATENTEDMI: 19 m2 SHEET 2 BF 2 lf/III IIIIII rlllllllflllflllll 1 il ICONTINUOUS CLEAN OVEN CONVERSION BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION on thepanel surfaces at normal oven operating temperatures of, for example,400-500F. Such materials are well known and one thereof is disclosed inU.S. Pat. No. 3,266,477 to A. B. Stiles.

Oven liners with continuous clean characteristics are usually providedwith fixed panels which thus require that the ovens be provided with thepanels at the time they are built. However, ovens are appliances whichusually last for many years. Therefore, many times a housewife may own asatisfactorily operating conventional oven while desiring one which hascontinuous clean characteristics. In such a case she is usually loath toinvest in the second oven while the first oven performs efficiently. Inother cases a housewife may purchase a new conventional oven but maydesire an option to provide the purchased oven with continuous cleanpossibilities.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION.

In either of the above cases a solution is provided by the presentinvention wherein there is provided an accessory kit for converting theconventional oven to a continuous clean oven. The kit embodies a set ofback, bottom and side panels coated .with continuous clean materialwhich panels are adapted to be removably inserted into the conventionaloven so that the oven will operate as a continuous clean oven.

The panels are designed, according to this invention, to interfit insuch a manner that proper assembly will be retained while permittingeasy removal of the bottom panel whenever desired for servicing of thebottom heating unit without disturbing the side and back panels.

Novel means is also provided for retaining the side panels in place,which means utilizes the ovens rack supports for this purpose.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other objectives and advantages of theinvention will become apparent from the following description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view in perspective of an oven embodyingthe invention;

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the continuous clean panel kit of theinvention fully assembled;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the bottom panel and itssupports;

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of a rack support assembly;

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view illustrating a side panel retainedin place by a rack support; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of a portion of a side panel.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, andparticularly to FIG. I, there is shownan oven 10 of a type commonlyknown which .may be fueled by any, suitable source such as gas orelectricity, as desired. It will be understood, however, that thisinvention may be applied to or incorporated in other ovens such asfree-standing ranges, for example, and may comprise either the upper orlower or both ovens in ranges where two ovens are utilized.

Traditionally, ovens include an oven liner comprising a top 12, sidewalls 14 and 16, back wall 18 and a bottom panel which with a door 20comprise a cooking, baking or broiling compartment. The liner is mountedin a suitable cabinet or body 22 which encompasses the various elementsof the oven and provides a decorative outer covering with a pleasingappearance for the kitchen. Located above or at one side of the door 20may be a control panel 24 containing the various control components suchas burner controls, thermostat, clock, etc.

' The front of the oven liner is open and is adapted to be closed by thefront-opening door 20'which is hinged to the oven cabinet along itsbottom edge by a pair of hinge straps 26. I

Heating means is provided in the oven for normal cooking operations andfor this purpose a top burner 28 is provided near the top 12 of theliner. Top burner 28 is usually used for broiling, while a second burner(not shown) is located beneath the floor of the liner for bakingpurposes, as is well known.

Burner 28 is illustrated as a radiant type gas-fueled burner such as,for example, the radiant burner disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,122,197.However, the burners may be conventional blue flame ported gas burnersor may be electrical resistance heating elements, if desired, or may beany other type burners fueled by any suitable material and in anysuitable manner.

The walls 12, 14, 16 and 18, and door 20, as well as a removable bottom(not shown) are of metal and when the burner or burners are operatedthey confine heat within the'compart'rnent for the desired cookingfunction. However, it will be apparent that the bottom as well as theback and side panels become rather easily soiled by food spillage or thelike and require manual cleaning, a tedious time-consuming and generallydisliked procedure.

With the advent of self-cleaning and continuous cleaning ovens themanual cleaning chore has been reduced or eliminated. However, in mostknown cases the ovens are of a completely factory-built fixed-panelassembly type. a

In accordance with the present invention, a conventional oven may beconverted into a continuous clean oven by means of a kit which comprisesa number of separate panels which are precoated with the selectedcontinuous cleaning material and which are so constructed and arrangedas to be easily inserted into the conventional oven for the purpose.

Referring to FIG. 2, the kit comprises a bottom 30, a back wall panel32, and side or end wall panels 34 and 36. To insert the panels in theconventional oven, the conventional oven bottom and oven racks areremoved.

I060II 0414 Removal of the oven bottom clearly exposes a plate 38 whichextends across the front of the liner near the base thereof and, alsoexposes at the rear of the liner, a cross channel 40 which is fixedlysecured to'the back wall 18 of the liner. The coated back panel 32 isplaced in the liner in overlying relation to back wall 18 as shown inFIG. 1, and has rearwardly extending peripheral flanges 42 along itstop, side and bottom edgeswhich retain the panel 32 slightly spaced fromwall 18. Bottom flange 44 is adapted to rest upon the upper plate 46 ofchannel 40 as shown in FIG. 3.

On each side wall 14 and 16 a wire rack support 48 is pivotallysupported at its upper end by brackets 50 and 52. The particularpivoting structure may be, for example, as shown in FIG. 4 whereinbracket 50 includes an apertured forwardly extending portion 54 into theaperture of which an angled portion 56 of one side 58 of the support islocated. The other bracket 52 includes a forwardly extending portion 60which has a recess or U-shaped configuration within which rests anangled portion 62 of the second side 64 of the support-Thus the supportis efficiently and simply pivotally mounted on the oven side wall andmay be easily swung out from the wall or removed from it.

The side portions 58 and 64 of the supports are adapted to be constantlyspaced from the respective wall and panel by means of bends 66 thereinasshown, and are interconnected by wire runners 68 for the pur pose ofsupporting a rack (not shown) within the oven.

After the back panel 32 has been positioned in the liner as describedabove, a support 48 is swung outwardly away from its respective sidewall 14 or 16 and a coated side panel 34 or 36 is slid into placebetween the support and the side wall. The side panels are each providedwith a flange 72 encircling the entire periphery so as to space thepanels slightly from the liner side walls. The rear edge of each sidepanel is adapted to interfit within a channel or groove 73 formed in theadjacent surface of the back panel as shown in FIGS. 2 and 6. The frontedge is supported upon plate 38 and may be suitably interlockedtherewith, if desired, and the remainder of the bottom edge of the sidepanels rest upon lateral ridges (not shown) formed in the liner walls 14and 16 or on pins or studs inserted in these side walls.

After both side panels have been located in position, the rack supports48 are then dropped into their nor- -mal positions to prevent the panelsfrom moving. In

order to properly achieve this, the panels are provided with smallindentations or recesses 70 which are preferably of a depthcorresponding to the width of the flange 72 so that the bases of therecesses rest against the adjacent side wall. The recesses 70 are eachprovided with an aperture 74, as shown best in FIG. 6, and the bends 66in the rack supports are adapted to protrude through the apertures intodirect contact with the side walls as illustrated in FIG. 5. Thus, therack supports 48 are positioned normally while still functioning toretain the side panels in place, and the side panels in turn, byinterfitting with the back panel, assist in holding the back panel inplace.

At this time the coated bottom panel 30 may be inserted in the ovenliner by inserting its rear edge into channel 40 with its downturnedrear flange 42 (FIG. 3)' resting upon the bottom plate 78 of the channel40 and with its-correspondingly downturned front flange 42' resting uponplate 38.1The bottompanel 30 is of a length to interfit within andbetween the bottom edge portions of the side panels and thus aids inretaining them in place. Thereafter a conventional oven rack may be slidonto the rack supports to complete the structure. In a structure of thistype the bottompanel 30 may be easily removed without disturbing theside or back panels.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that all of the objectives ofthis invention have been achieved by the conversion system describedwhereby a conventional oven'may be easily modified to provide it withcontinuous cleaning characteristics. The conversion kit of the inventionincludes panels and novel means for removably positioning the panels sothat easy servicing is permitted. Itwill also be apparent that manymodifications in the invention may be made by those skilled in the artwithout departing from the spirit of the invention as expressed in theaccompanying claims. Accordingly, all matter shown and described is tobe interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

We claim:

1. A continuous clean oven comprising an oven liner having one open end,a top, a bottom, and vertically extending side and back walls defining acompartment, a door closing the open end of the liner, means for heatingthe compartment to temperatures suitable for baking and broiling,vertically extending back and side panels disposed. in overlyingrelation to respective back and side walls within the liner, the exposedsurfaces of said panels and said bottom being provided with a layer ofcatalytic cleaning material, the height of said side panels being lessthan the heightof the side walls, and means for removably retaining saidside panels in position of use within the liner. comprising a pair ofrack supports each pivotally connected at one end to a respective sidewall above the adjacent side panel and depending therefrom over theexposed surface of the side panel and engaging same to aid in retainingthe side panels in an upright position, said supports each comprising apairof spaced vertically extending support members interconnected byrunners, and the respective side panels having at least one recesstherein which extends toward the underlying side wall opposite eachsupport member, and the support members have bends disposed within saidrecesses.

2. A continuous clean oven as set forth in claim 1 wherein an apertureis disposed in the bottom of each recess, and the bends in the supportmembers engage the adjacent side wall through respective apertures.

3. A continuous clean oven as set forth in claim 1 wherein said backpanel has a vertical groove in each end of its exposed surface andextending throughout its height, and the adjacent edges of said sidepanels reside a pair of side panels, said panels and bottom each havingon one surface a layer of catalytic cleaning material, said side panelsbeing of a width which is less than the height of the side walls in theconventional oven, and rack supports for retaining the side panels inposition of use, said side panels have peripheral flanges extending in acommon direction away from the catalytic layer, and recesses whichextend in the same direction as said flanges and of a depthsubstantially equal to the width of the flanges, and said rack supportshave bends therein at locations corresponding to the locations of saidrecesses.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein apertures are provided inthe bottoms of said recesses, and the bends in said rack supports aredisposed at locations corresponding to the locations of said apertures.

7. An oven comprising an oven liner having one open end, a top, abottom, and vertically extending back and side walls defining acompartment, vertically extending back and side panels disposed inspaced overlying relation to respective back and side walls within theliner, spacing means on said panels and contacting the respectiveadjacent walls for maintaining the spaced relation therebetween, and apair of cantilever means each connected at the upper end to a respectiveside wall and depending therefrom over and engaging only the exposedinner surface of the respective side panel and thereby urging the paneltoward the adjacent wall.

8. An oven as set forth in claim 7 wherein said cantilever means areeach a rack support comprising vertically extending side members andrunner members interconnecting the side members.

9. An oven as set forth in claim 7 wherein said spacing means are aplurality of depressions in said side panels.

10. An oven as set forth in claim 9 wherein said cantilever means areeach a rack support including vertically extending members, said membershaving portions disposed within said depressions in the side panels.

11. An oven as set forth in claim 10 wherein the bottom of saiddepressions have apertures therein, and said portions of the supportsextend through respective apertures and engage the adjacent side wall.

1. A continuous clean oven comprising an oven liner having one open end,a top, a bottom, and vertically extending side and back walls defining acompartment, a door closing the open end of the liner, means for heatingthe compartment to temperatures suitable for baking and broiling,vertically extending back and side panels disposed in overlying relationto respective back and side walls within the liner, the exposed surfacesof said panels and said bottom being provided with a layer of catalyticcleaning material, the height of said side panels being less than theheight of the side walls, and means for removably retaining said sidepanels in position of use within the liner comprising a pair of racksupports each pivotally connected at one end to a respective side wallabove the adjacent side panel and depending therefrom over the exposedsurface of the side panel and engaging same to aid in retaining the sidepanels in an upright position, said supports each comprising a pair ofspaced vertically extending support members interconnected by runners,and the respective side panels having at least one recess therein whichextends toward the underlying side wall opposite each support member,and the support members have bends disposed within said recesses.
 2. Acontinuous clean oven as set forth in claim 1 wherein an aperture isdisposed in the bottom of each recess, and the bends in the supportmembers engage the adjacent side wall through respective apertures.
 3. Acontinuous clean oven as set forth in claim 1 wherein said back panelhas a vertical groove in each end of its exposed surface and extendingthroughout its height, and the adjacent edges of said side panels residein respective grooves whereby the back panel is retained in an uprightposition.
 4. A continuous clean oven as set forth in claim 3 whereinsaid bottom is of a length to fit between the lower edges of said sidepanels and aids in retaining the side panels in position of use. 5.Apparatus for converting a conventional oven to a continuous clean ovenwherein said conventional oven comprises side and back walls defining acompartment, said apparatus comprising a back panel, a bottom, and apair of side panels, said panels and bottom each having on one surface alayer of catalytic cleaning material, said side panels being of a widthwhich is less than the height of the side walls in the conventionaloven, and rack supports for retaining the side panels in position ofuse, said side panels have peripheral flanges extending in a commondirection away from the catalytic layer, and recesses which extend inthe same direction as said flanges and of a depth substantially equal tothe width of the flanges, and said rack supports have bends therein atlocations corresponding to the locations of said recesses.
 6. Apparatusas set forth in claim 5 wherein apertures are provided in the bottoms ofsaid recesses, and the bends in said rack supports are disposed atlocations corresponding to the locations of said apertures.
 7. An ovencomprising an oven liner having one open end, a top, a bottom, andvertically extending back and side walls defining a compartment,vertically extending back and side panels disposed in spaced overlyingrelation to respective back and side walls within the liner, spacingmeans on said panels and contacting the respective adjacent walls formaintaining the spaced relation therebetween, and a pair of cantilevermeans each connected at the upper end to a respective side wall anddepending therefrom over and engaging only the exposed inner surface ofthe respective side panel and thereby urging the panel toward theadjacent wall.
 8. An oven as set forth in claim 7 wherein saidcantilever means are each a rack support comprising vertically extendingside members and runner members interconnecting the side members.
 9. Anoven as set forth in claim 7 wherein said spacing means are a pluralityof depressions in said side panels.
 10. An oven as set forth in claim 9wherein said cantilever means are each a rack support includingvertically extending members, said members having portions disposedwithin said depressions in the side panels.
 11. An oven as set forth inclaim 10 wherein the bottom of said depressions have apertures therein,and said portions of the supports extend through respective aperturesand engage the adjacent side wall.